PHILADELPHIA — If Nick Foles had a little more snap, crackle and pop the Eagles would be opposing the Arizona Cardinals in prime time today at Lincoln Financial Field.

They’re playing at the regularly scheduled time because Foles is the polar opposite of the guy he wrested the starting job from, the explosive and indomitable Michael Vick.

Leading the Eagles (6-5) to a three-game winning streak and in contention for a playoff berth might not get Foles an appearance on the Tonight Show. But it’s earned him the respect all quarterbacks crave.

“One thing that I think guys appreciate is that Nick is a very relatable player,” linebacker Connor Barwin said. “He hasn’t changed one bit from when I met him this summer to who he is today. And that I respect a lot. His sizzle is sizzling right now on the field. I think that’s all the sizzle he needs. And that’s pretty good.”

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Foles threw 10 touchdown passes, no interceptions and on a scale that tops out at 158.3, produced a 152.8 passer rating in carrying the Eagles to three wins in November. The rating is an NFL record for one month.

While the Eagles (6-5) beat opponents with a combined record of 12-21-1, they did it on the West Coast, in the hinterlands of Wisconsin and even at the Linc, where they had lost 10 straight games in a calendar year.

The Eagles need every gram of confidence they can get from here on out as four of their remaining five teams own winning records, starting with the Cardinals (7-4) and concluding with those hated Dallas Cowboys (7-5), who lead the NFC East by tiebreakers.

“In the position we’re in right now every game counts,” cornerback Brandon Boykin, who leads the Eagles with four interceptions said. “We’ve got to have every game. You would like to think having the home advantage makes things a little easier so we’ve got to take care of things at home. Just to have a chance at the end, this is a very important game.”

The Cardinals are coming off a 40-11 demolition of the Indianapolis Colts, the team Arizona head coach Bruce Arians knows intimately. Arians was named NFL coach of the year for guiding the Colts to the AFC South title in place of Chuck Pagano, who returned to the job after battling illness. You wouldn’t think Arians knows as much about Foles, Chip Kelly and the Eagles. Then again, they withdrew their request to interview the old Temple U. ball coach to go in the direction of Kelly.

No one would be surprised if Arians stayed up late figuring out a couple more ways for Carson Palmer to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald, the all-world receiver who tortures the Eagles regardless of who throws him the football.

“I know the Eagles are right there in the thick of it and I know we’re battling and scratching,” Fitzgerald said on a conference call. “We’re right there in the fight. But we’ve got to keep pace with San Francisco. Try to keep Seattle close. Carolina is surging right now. That wild card position in the NFC, it’s tough. It’s not going to be an easy race. So both teams have a lot to play for and have a lot at stake. And it’s going to be a great game on Sunday. I’m looking forward to competing in it.”

Foles doesn’t seem any more or less eager to do his job against a Cardinals defense with an active front seven and playmakers Patrick Peterson and Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu. The Cardinals like to blitz. They don’t like to give up points as they surrender just 20.3 per game.

“You’ve got to be sharp each and every day but at the same time you can’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Foles said. “There’s a happy medium you find. And I think the big thing is just continue to approach the game the same way I have every week. Don’t change anything just because of the announcement or anything that goes on.”

Foles’ strength seems to be spreading the ball around to his weapons. Wide receiver Riley Cooper, for example, would seem to be the least likely Eagle to share the team lead in touchdowns. He has seven, along with DeSean Jackson.

Foles was on the other end of all but one of Cooper’s touchdowns. Also intriguing is Jackson has caught five of his seven scoring passes from Foles. The other two came off the left hand of Vick.

“They’re playing well and Nick is playing really well, too,” Eagles veteran receiver Jeff Maehl remarked. “Defenses are taking a lot of stuff away leaving Coop on that kind of island. They’re both making a lot of really big plays. When you’ve got a guy like DeSean, you obviously have to have help over him … a lot of help.”

The Eagles beat just one team with a winning record this season. That would be the Green Bay Packers (5-6-1), who were without quarterback Aaron Rodgers and no longer own a winning ledger.

From here on out the Eagles could use a little more sizzle in whatever form they can get it.

“I think it’s a big game because it’s December and we’re in it, so they all count even more,” Barwin said. “And it’s a good test for us because the Cardinals are rolling on all cylinders right now, especially on offense.”